Temporal consequences
by Sleeping Dreamer4
Summary: Surviving explosions? Easy. Finding enough money despite being able to afford machines to steal pokemon? Difficult. Being wanted for murder, AND kidnapping Ash Ketchum as a baby? Team Rocket is in deep.
1. Chapter 1

From a distance it wasn't easy to say where it started but it was easy to tell the beginning. The players were all in place and like clockwork it began here with a large machine flying and landing somewhere in a small city named Pallet Town. The only witness to it would end up dead and the other was too young to know what happened. There were others around but none that witnessed the large machine shaped like a meowth crash into the ground fatally injuring a young red-haired woman that somewhat luckily put the stroller out of the gate while she herself was in the middle of walking to the house to get something. Her husband was still inside the house as it was a rare time that he returned from his journey to visit his young family.

"Where did we end up this time?" James asked as they all got out of the burning machine.

"How should I know, James?" Jessie asked.

"Well wherever we are we should probably get going, Jessie," Meowth answered before avoiding looking at Jessie as she glared at him.

"Hey, doesn't this place look familiar?" James asked as they left and saw a baby with black hair and brown eyes stare at them before starting to cry.

"Oh, I hate crying kids! Do something, James!" Jessie yelled.

"Oh, alright. James is telling you that everything is okay," James said as he rocked the baby in his arms and it began to calm down.

"Delia? Is that you? What was that sound? Are you okay?!" a man yelled and with James still carrying the baby the Team Rocket trio ran away into the wilderness.

"That was close- James! Why do you still have the baby?" Jessie yelled.

"He was coming out and I was too panicked to put the baby back and put on the straps!" James cowered as he rocked the baby back and forth.

"Well alright, I guess that's reasonable. Let's ditch the kid at the front of the city- they're sure to be looking for it," Jessie ordered as she began to walk expecting them to follow.

"Hey James- didn't that man call out the name Delia and I coulda sworn that we passed a 'Welcome to Pallet town' sign…" Meowth thought out loud.

"We did pass that sign and I heard Delia too." James looked thoughtful.

"So does that mean…" Jessie froze and turned around looking petrified.

"We must have been in Pallet town so where is the twerp?" James asked.

"I think he's in your arms, James,"Meowth stared at the quiet baby.

"Impossible! The twerp is a kid not a baby!" James yelled and startled the baby.

"Calm him down, right now, James! I think Meowth is right. The back of his clothing has the name 'Ash' on it. I think we just kidnapped the twerp and possibly killed his mom…" Jessie paled.

James did as Jessie ordered. The three of them sighed in considerable relief despite possibly committing murder and kidnapping the twerp. They obviously had to return the kid back to his father but it wasn't like they could walk back and leave him in the middle of the road anymore. For all they knew the town could be searching for him and have people and pokemon searching the town and route they were in. Then Jessie predictably upset the baby and James only managed to calm Ash down when Meowth heard something.

"Quiet guys, I hear something! I think it's a pokemon looking for the twerp. Hide- if we all get caught…" Meowth motioned them away and they hid.

"Have you seen a baby somewhere?" asked the espurr asked Meowth.

"I don't think so, Do you want help looking for it?" Meowth meowed back.

"I see. I thought I felt him here but if you say so then I was probably nothing. Thank you for your help," the espurr answered before moving on.

"Thank goodness. You can come down now, guys," Meowth called as Jessie climbed down and James down from the lowest branch.

"Give a little more warning next time Meowth. We should probably head to Viridian city and leave him at the pokemon center. We should discuss what to do after we drop the twerp off at the pokemon center." Jessie said before they began to walk to Viridian.

"Jessie- this is boring. Why can't we use our balloon?" James asked as Ash was holding his hair and tugging.

"Because we don't know where it is. Just hurry- the sooner we drop off that brat the sooner we can figure out our next move!" Jessie yelled and after reaching the city they two human members changed their hair style, eye color, and clothes while Meowth got on all fours.

"The plan is that we go to the pokemon center and Jame and Meowth cause a distraction. I leave the twerp there and we leave," Jessie half ordered as they walked into the city.

There was police all over near the pokemon center. The pair were stopped nearby by officer Jenny. She looked at the couple, a handsome red-haired man and a dainty purple-haired woman who was cooing to her son, with their meowth that was rubbing against the man. Her instinct told her that something was off but as the baby began to cry and the woman soothed the child as they got fussy she smiled. It looked like they were new parents on a walk with their pet and child in tow. They didn't look familiar but she was new to the city as the previous officer Jenny had decided to retire.

"Excuse me, ma'am, sir. Have you seen a little baby around here? There's been a kidnapping of a little boy in the town over." Jenny said as she watched the couple grow pale and then panicked.

"Oh dear- that's awful. We couldn't bear to part with our dear Micheal. We'll be sure to let you know if we see a stranded baby. I'm afraid that our meowth has been feeling under the weather lately- do you happen to know where the nearest open pokemon center is?" Jessie asked relieved that their disguises worked.

"If you need to have your pet checked out- you should go to the pokemon center near Viridian forest since the main in town got wrecked by an angry charizard and gyarados fighting. Did you move here recently or are you traveling?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Oh, we are traveling around Kanto on foot until we reach Fuchsia city. We should really get going to that pokemon center so that we can continue on our way," James and Jessie began to walk away quickly but not quickly enough.

"Wait! It'll be dangerous one it gets dark. I'll escort you to the pokemon center- it's a bit busy so you will have to wait until tomorrow or later to get your meowth checked out but I'll get you two a room to stay in so that you don't have to go through the forest in the dark," the friendly Jenny walked beside the couple and she began to make friendly chatter while they walked.

"You look rather good for someone who had to give birth. How old is he and how long have you two been together?" Jenny asked smiling.

"It seems like Micheal has been a part of our lives forever- he's trouble but we love him to bits. I've known my husband for years- friends first, after all, then we sort of started to date and well, here we are," James ad libbed hoping officer Jenny bought it.

"Oh, that's sweet! Me and my husband met on the job- he is a forensic specialist and one of the best around here. He is working to get certified to go on the field because he wants to protect me-which is funny because it was my growlithe that saved him when a thief stole from him while he was heading to work. He's a good man but clumsy, forgetful, and all thumbs. No offense to you, sir, since you seem rather dependable and strong but a lot of men can be like children and it's us women that have to be strong, right?" Jenny spoke cheerfully not noticing Jessie nod and James look down blushing.

"I agree- a lot of my male friends can be… unreliable. You can try to make them tougher but in truth they can be rather fragile," Jessie agreed.

"I'm not fragile!" James protested in a pitched tone.

"Of course you aren't, dear. You're very tough for a well-born lady," Jessie soothed James while Meowth enjoyed the show barely resisting laughing at the free entertainment.

They fell silent for a while before beginning to go onto safer topics that the pair successfully controlled the conversation topics and learned more about this officer Jenny that either would care to know. She explained that she was the talkative Jenny of her many cousins and that she just recently graduated and took a posting in Viridian city. Apparently she lived in New Bark town but in her family it was traditional to go to a new reigon so she went to the Kanto police academy. The twenty minutes passed with Jessie and James only talking to encourage the young officer to talk to avoid awkward questions.

"Here we are, I'll go inside and you two wait here. Ray! Make sure these two are unharmed," officer Jenny said to a uniformed police man that was approaching the pokemon center.

"Of course, ma'am. When you're done the police chief told me that you're to meet him for your review," the officer said as Jenny walked in.

It only took ten minutes but were resigned by this point to spend the night at the pokemon center with their baby. Baby Ash made a mess of dinner with Meowth miraculously resisting complaining as he got pokemon food- it was good pokemon food- but it was still pokemon food. Jessie and James relished the heavenly pokemon center food but as nurse Joy promised she watched over the new couple so they ate slow, and only asked for seconds after Jessie's stomach began to grumble. They were all eagerly waiting to drop Ash somewhere but life rarely works out the way people want.

Author's note: I would appreciate any constructive criticisms over my writing though I don't promise I could use it immediately or would.


	2. Chapter 2

Ash cried and the the trio refrained from strangling the baby. They had managed to get through the forest in a couple days but the food situation was bad as usual. Ash was the only one who had food still. The three had run out between them. James rocked the baby until it hushed and they all sighed in relief.

"Jessie, can you please at least carry the twerp?" James asked.

"If you want him to cry like he did the last ten times I don't see why not. We just need to get to Pewter city and then we can drop him off at the orphanage or something. I have the feeling with the way that Officer Jenny was chatty that they might be looking for a handsome red-head with his lovely wife and pet meowth…" Jessie sighed after she hit the tree and yelled as her fist hurt.

"Better safe then sorry. We can drop the twerp off when we're alone. I can stay quiet for a bit longer in the town," Meowth agreed.

"I vote that we ditch the disguises. It's not very likely that they're looking for us," James muttered.

"I did some recon and that Jenny and Joy are friends and I saw the two talk about us and that she asked the next town to look for us. Apparently they were talking that since a baby got kidnapped that they're on the look out for adults with babies and that Jenny basically informed the next town of us…" Jessie sighed as the baby began to cry again as he felt everyone's frustration.

"Shh, it's okay, I promise" James rocked the baby.

It had been a long week for the trio. They thankfully had money on them but the Jenny in Viridian city seemed enamored with Ash. She spent a fair bit of time with the trio while in the city. Meowth had been checked out and it was just suggested that he was feeling down and neglected because all their attention was on Ash. It was a good excuse as any but it simply wasn't true. They ignored Ash the best they could but when he sought attention, food, a change of diaper, amusement or all of the above he screeched like the larvitar he carried around and got them unwanted attention. Thus they unwittingly were forced to play doting parents in and out of the gaze of other people.

"Papa!" Ash pointed at Jessie and she glared at him but he only laughed.

"I am not- oh whatever. That Jenny had to teach the twerp to call me papa. At least they were nice enough to give us the supplies but you two eat as much a snorlax between the two of you," Jessie complained.

"Excuse me? I remember that you take half of the food and that me and James have to share the rest. If we each eat half of the food of the snorlax then doesn't that mean that you eat the amount of a snorlax?" Meowth asked.

Jessie turned red and attacked Meowth as James rocked Ash and sighed softly. Yes, they were as close as you can get after so long together, but depending on the day and mood they fought each other like seviper and zangoose. It only meant they knew how to trigger a nerve or hurt each other by words a lot more efficiently. They always made up in the end but they were as passionate in arguing with each other as much as working together.

"Are you calling me FAT, meowth?" Jessie screamed.

"James! Help!" Meowth yelled as he was chased around.

"Ignore those angry maniacs and just stay calm, that's it. No need to add a crying baby to the situation. I promise I'll protect you as long as you're in our care." James ignored them and sighed in relief as the aforementioned angry maniacs either missed the insult or figured the poop making black hole was best pacified since him crying would make the situation ten times worst.

" I AM NOT FAT, meowth!" Jessie finally caught him and hit him on the head hard enough to form a bump.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to call you fat but you were the one to say…" Meowth would have continued if Jessie didn't give her patented death glare just daring him to continue, "I mean I didn't mean to imply that you were fat!" Meowth finished hastily as he waved his paws in surrender.

"That's better. We should be out soon and so let's change just in case…" Jessie ordered and James and Jessie changed clothes.

"… Does this make me look fat?" James asked as he twirled around in the dress.

"You make for a pretty lady with your androgynous look, James dear," Jessie spoke sweetly.

"Thank you- Hey!" James turned around as he realized what Jessie meant.

"Oh shut it, James. I'm tired of watching the twerp being the only one eating. Can't we just get to town, pass through and buy supplies, then argue when we're on the road?" Meowth grumbled.

Just then all three stomachs began to grumble and they all sighed in unison as Ash giggled. They glared at the happy and full baby as he smiled at them. The trio let out another sigh in unison as they sat down somewhere before the entrance to Pewter city. It had been a long day and despite James being the only one who would be able to calm Ash down the baby had the habit of waking everyone up. They even had to run a few times thanks to the baby waking up some wild bug pokemon. It was rather trying for all of them and they were thankful to get out of it alive though if they were aware of what was waiting them in Pewter city they might have wished otherwise.

Finally they got up and both in disguise and in character walked in. They looked around and saw that no one was watching them and sighed in relief. All they would have to do is ditch the baby in the city somewhere. Then horror of horrors a nurse Joy was coming towards with a large smile on her face. She was waving and they had a sinking feeling that the nurse was coming to talk to them as they looked around them and saw no one beside them. Not for the first time and definitely not the last time they cursed the officer Jenny from New Bark Town.

"You're finally here! Jenny told me all about you. She was really concerned about you three. She's such a sweetheart. Micheal is as adorable as she said. She is a bit ditsy to be honest, I can't believe it, but she totally forgot to ask you your names!" Nurse Joy exclaimed in one breath.

James stared and looked at Jessie as she smiled showing teeth and then cleared her throat before turning on the charm, "Oh my, I'm afraid that is something which must be amended immediately," and as Ash began to cry Jessie rocked him as she took him out of James' arms and he began to calm as all eyes turned to James.

"Oh, I'm Ja…ne and my husbands' is Je…ffrey. Jenny really is sweet. She made sure that we were safe since that awful situation with the kidnapped baby…" James improvised as she nodded.

"You must not be watching the news. Not only did the person kidnap a baby but they're wanted for questioning because of the death of Delia Ketchum. Her restaurant isn't so far from Pewter and me and my girlfriend were in Pallet when it happened. It was awful. Jenny said that because of the death if they're charged it's going to be at least manslaughter and at best second degree murder. I hope they're caught soon because if I get my hands on them I will make sure that they don't escape justice!" Joy who seemed concerned gradually got angry and by the end the normally calm nurse was fuming mad by nurse joy standards. She was frowning, her voice wasn't unfailingly pleasant, and one hand was in a fist.

The three team rocket members felt dread and they realized at the same time that as long as they did not catch anyone's attention that the easiest way to travel was in the same disguise that they were in because 'Jeffrey, Jane, and Micheal' were known and as long as they remained above suspicion it was the safest they way to go. If they went missing, found an androgenous male, female, with a meowth, in the same area that the couple went missing then they'd have to look near the source and find that the original Jenny had found them just outside of Pallet town.

Just then Ash began to cry and fuss like they hadn't seen before and wouldn't stop even when James took over. Checking the child over Nurse Joy noticed that he had small red bumps on his arms that look like hives. She noticed the couple before them were also scratching a bit. It wasn't uncommon for new travelers to go into poison ivy and it was easily treatable since it was only mild. She bit her lip wondering how they didn't notice it when they saw the bags that the two parents had. Clearly they weren't getting any sleep and roughing it on the road with a fussy baby wasn't helping. She concluded that they clearly didn't know and after she pointed out that they could all be affected by the poison ivy they followed her while she carried the child and they followed.

She treated Micheal first then after the couple insisted that they could help each other because she must have things to do in the center she agreed after realizing despite being caught off guard by poison ivy they weren't the young trainers that needed a mother figure. She gave them the solution and told them what to do then after putting down the blinds left the room. She thought about informing them that the camera wasn't working but it wasn't like they had anything to hide. Inside the room however team rocket had 'accidentally' destroyed the camera and were doing just as the nurse ordered. Life was just great, they kidnapped the twerp, were wanted for potentially murder, and they didn't even know that the last adult in the Ketchum household was arriving in Viridian and catching the eye of a certain chatty Officer Jenny.


End file.
